WAftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre himself, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Anderson .Paak, with former acts including 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, The Game, Raekwon, Eve, Rakim, Jon Connor and many others.
WBad Afro Records is an independent record label based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
WThe Black Label is a South Korean record label and an associate company of YG Entertainment. It was founded in 2015 by YG producer Teddy and Kush.
WDreamWorks Records was an American record label founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks Pictures. The label operated until 2003 when it was sold to Universal Music Group. The label itself also featured a Nashville, Tennessee-based subsidiary, DreamWorks Nashville, which specialized in country music and was shut down in 2006. The company's logo was designed by Roy Lichtenstein and was his last commission before his death in 1997.
WDrive-Thru Records was a California-based independent record label owned by siblings Richard and Stefanie Reines. The label was partially responsible for popularizing the pop-punk/emo sound of the early to mid-2000s. After facing financial obstacles in getting their bands' music into stores, Drive-Thru entered into a distribution deal with MCA/Universal. In 2003 MCA was dissolved and folded into Geffen Records. One of the clauses of that agreement was MCA/Geffen being able to sign any band of their choosing from Drive-Thru's roster.
WDrumcode Records is a Swedish techno label managed by Adam Beyer. The label was founded in 1996 and has enjoyed a streak of success in its releases, talent scouting, radio efforts, and general international label camaraderie ever since. As of August 2018 the label is the highest-selling techno record label on Beatport over the past year, according to BeatStats, and third highest-selling label on Beatport of all time. Its roots are in its native Scandinavia, originally only housing Swedish producers, but in the label's history it has since branched out to working with those whose sound fit the profile, rather than whose nationality aligns best.
WEasy Star Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996. Based in New York City, the label primarily produces and releases albums in the genres of reggae and dub.
WFrontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing hard rock. It was founded in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.
WFueled by Ramen LLC is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Elektra Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City.
WGlobal Underground is a British record label and compilation series founded in 1996 by Andy Horsfield and James Todd. The label symbolised the international explosion of dance music during the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s and first manifesto for high-end DJs such as Tony De Vit, Sasha, Paul Oakenfold, John Digweed, Danny Tenaglia, Nick Warren, Dave Seaman, Darren Emerson, James Lavelle, Carl Cox, and Solomun.
WHip-O Records is a record label that specializes in reissues and compilations. It is part of Universal Music Group. Established in 1996, the label has distributed releases from 'out of style' genres such as disco and early hip-hop music as well as publishing film soundtracks. The label's name is a pun on the name 'hippo'.
WHoo-Bangin' Records is a record label founded by Dedrick "Mack 10" Rolison. He took the name from the name of the song "Hoo Bangin'" by his group, Westside Connection. Hoo-Bangin' Records was recently released from its contract at Priority Records and Capitol Records and now signed a deal with Fontana Distribution.
WHospital Records is a British independent record label based in South London. Primarily releasing drum and bass, the label was started in 1996 by Tony Colman and Chris Goss, and has grown in recent years to become one of the most well known labels within UK dance music. The label has been home to artists such as Blame, Danny Byrd, Camo & Krooked, Logistics, Nu:Tone, Metrik, Fred V & Grafix, High Contrast and S.P.Y but also releases tracks from across the DnB genre. In Forest Hill, South London, Hospital runs the publishing company Songs in the Key of Knife and their worldwide events brand Hospitality. Until the end of 2019, they also ran the more experimental label Med School Music.
WIodine Recordings was an independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Iodine Recordings released punk, hardcore, and indie rock music. It was once home to bands such as Brand New, Orange Island, Smoke or Fire, There Were Wires, Gregor Samsa, and more.
WKindercore Vinyl is a vinyl record pressing plant based in Athens, Georgia. It began as an independent record label, founded in 1996 by Ryan Lewis and Daniel Geller to help create a unified music scene of Athens. After the dissolution of the record label, Lewis and Geller partnered with Cash Carter and Bill Fortenberry to revive Kindercore as a vinyl pressing plant. Kindercore Vinyl is the only vinyl pressing plant in the state of Georgia.
WLemoned Plant is a Japanese independent record label. It was founded as LEMONed in 1996 by popular rock musician Hideto "hide" Matsumoto. The retail store Lemoned Shop was later created, and seems to have become the main focus.
WMr. Lady Records was a San Francisco-based lesbian-feminist independent record label and video art distributor. Artists on the label included Le Tigre and The Butchies. OutSmart magazine noted that Mr. Lady was "queercore's strongest label."
WOutput Recordings was a British independent record label run by Trevor Jackson, between 1996 and 2006. Output released 100 records over the ten-year period, and several bands first appeared on this label, including Fridge, Lisa Germano, Four Tet, Black Strobe, Colder, LCD Soundsystem, and Jackson's own Playgroup.
WPamplin Music was an independent Christian record label founded in 1995 by Robert B. Pamplin Jr. The label was a subunit of Pamplin Entertainment and in turn Pamplin Communications, which was already established in the Christian media market through book stores and video products.
WPlay Records is an independently owned Canadian record label operating in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
WProphecy Productions is an international record label, founded in Germany by Martin Koller in 1996. It proclaims promoting "transcendental [...] captivating music", which roughly comprises artists with a dark rock, black metal, or neofolk background, yet with a unique and unconventional approach to music.
WRaster-Noton was a German electronic music record label established in 1999. Based in Chemnitz, Germany, it emerged from the fusion of Rastermusik, founded by Olaf Bender and Frank Bretschneider in 1996, and Noton, a sub label which was run by Carsten Nicolai. In 2017, the label split up into two distinct entities: Raster, which would continue to be run by Bender, and Noton, focusing on Nicolai's output.
WRawkus Records was an American hip hop record label known for starting the careers of many rappers. Rawkus started in 1995 with releases in hip-hop, drum and bass and fun-dustrial.
WRobbins Entertainment is an American dance music record label. It is owned by Cory Robbins and has released music by Cascada, such as their hit single "Everytime We Touch". It is also the company responsible for the Dance Party Like It's.... series and the Trance Party series, as well as the Mixshow series. Several one-volume CDs like Dance Rock have also been released. The label is distributed by The Orchard and is one of two labels in the Sony Music line-up that specializes in dance and electronic music, the other being Ultra Music, who has collaborated with Robbins on several occasions. Robbins Entertainment has a country music division named Robbins Nashville, which was created in May 2007.
WSecretly Canadian is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Secretly Canadian is a label included in Secretly Group, which also includes Dead Oceans and Jagjaguwar. Secretly Group includes the three record labels as well as a music publisher known as Secretly Publishing, representing artists, writers, film makers, producers, and comedians.
WSix Degrees Records is an independent record label noted for its catalog of recordings from international musicians and vocalists.
WSnapper Music is an independent record label founded in 1996 by former head of Castle Communications Jon Beecher, Dougie Dudgeon and funded by Mark Levinson from Palan Music Publishing. In 1999 Snapper broke away from its Palan parent company in an MBO in association with ACT and CAI venture capitalists. In 2004 Snapper Music was bought out by music publisher and former agent & manager Bryan Morrison (deceased) and in 2005 Jon Beecher (MD) and Dougie Dudgeon (A&R) left the company and were replaced by Frederick Jude, a former employee of Palan Music Publishing and a Snapper director.
WSpin Move Records is a boutique independent record label based in Santa Monica, California and has released recordings from a variety of artists, including Ainjel Emme, Amy Kuney, Frank Bell, Jessica Sanchez, Rochelle Diamante, and Winsome Kin.
WStones Throw Records is an American independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. Under the direction of founder Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw has released music ranging from hip hop to experimental psychedelic rock. LA Weekly deemed the label an "eternally evolving experiment" in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
WStrange Famous Records is an indie hip hop record label based in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded by Sage Francis. Artists on its roster include B. Dolan, Cecil Otter, Prolyphic, and Sleep, among others.
W!K7 Music is a music company based in Berlin, Germany that focuses mostly on electronic music. The name is an abbreviation of the company's original Berlin address, Kaiserdamm 7. !K7 has since opened branch offices in New York City and London. The company now operates an artist management division, managing a roster of artists including the British musician Tricky. !K7 Music also runs a successful Label Services and Synch and Licensing department.
WSuicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, Washington-based independent record label that releases rock, pop, and metal music. Suicide Squeeze releases content on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital. The label has also released comedy and performance art CD and DVDs.
WTomato Head Records was an independent record label started by Chuck Phelps after his split with the ska punk band Skankin' Pickle and Dill Records. The label most notably released the debut EP of Tsunami Bomb, The Invasion from Within! and the Luckie Strike EP, Future is Turning. The label is now in indefinite hiatus.
WTummy Touch Records is an international record label with offices in London, UK and New York City, USA best known for releasing quirky dance and downtempo music. Artists on Tummy Touch include Groove Armada, Patrick & Eugene, Niyi, Tutto Matto, Tom Vek, and label founder Tim Lee.
WTwisted Records is a British record label that specialises in psychedelic trance music. The label was founded by musician Simon Posford, who performs and records under the name Hallucinogen.
WUnicorn Digital is an independent Canadian record label founded in 1996 by Michel St-Père. The label was originally created to promote his band Mystery, however since its founding the label has expanded to include many more artists. In 2005, the label changed its name from Unicorn Records to Unicorn Digital.
WV2 Records is a record label that was purchased by Universal Music Group in 2007 and sold to [PIAS] in 2013. In the Benelux, V2 operates separately from PIAS, as the label bought itself out from Universal in 2007.
WVelvet Blue Music is an independent record label founded in 1996 by Jeff Cloud.
WVolcano Entertainment was an American all-round music record label founded in 1996 which released albums by Tool, 311, Size 14, Survivor and "Weird Al" Yankovic. The Volcano Records catalog is owned by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
WYG Entertainment Inc. is a South Korean entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house. In addition, the company operates a number of subsidiary ventures under a separate public traded company, YG Plus, which includes a clothing line, a golf management agency, and a cosmetics brand.